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How much should you pay yourself?
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It’s the most common question I get from guys in the game: "How much should I actually be paying myself?" Most owner-operators fall into the same trap. They work a massive week, watch the invoices get paid, and then just take whatever is "left over" in the bank account to cover the mortgage and groceries. If that’s how you’re running things, you’re just a "mower" with a job. To build a business that actually supports your family and grows over time, you have to stop taking the leftovers and start paying yourself like a professional. But what is the "right" number? If you pay yourself too much, the business has no cash for the inevitable equipment repairs or the slow winter months. If you pay yourself too little, you’ll burn out before the season even peaks. You need to find the "Goldilocks" zone—a set salary that reflects your hard work on the tools while leaving enough profit in the pot to build a real asset. I’ve put together a full breakdown on the website that covers the math behind owner pay. On this page, I dive into:
[Read the Full Breakdown: How Much Should You Pay Yourself?] Getting your pay structure right is the difference between a business that owns you and a business that provides for you. Go check out the math. Stuart Clifford Lawnmowing101 Resources: |
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Build a Six-Figure Lawn Care Business in Your Spare Time. Stop trading time for money. Get one short, actionable tip delivered to your inbox every morning to help you work smarter and scale faster. Privacy Note: Join 5,000+ pros. 100% privacy, zero spam.
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